Wall shelf



July 8, 1958 J. B. MASSEY WALL SHELF Filed Nov. 19, 1954 INVENTOR. JOHN B. MAssEY ATTO QNEYS WALL SHELF John B. Massey, Turlock, Calif. Application November 19, 1954, Serial No. 470,1il 4 Claims. (Cl. 211-90) This invention relates to an improved article support for mounting on a wall or other similar vertical support. The primary object of this invention is to provide an article support or rack in the nature of a shelf which can be mounted easily and securely on a vertical wall, or other similar vertical support surface, with a minimum I amount of damage to the supporting surface.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a wall shelf wherein only a single fastener device, such as a nail, need be driven into the wall, or other vertical support surface, for adequately supporting and maintaining the shelf in proper position on the wall.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide a wall shelf of the character indicated above which is of simple, inexpensive construction, is capable of manufacture at relatively low cost, and is attractive in appearance.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description, forming the specification, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fgiure 1 is a perspective view of a wall shelf embodying this invention mounted on a vertical wall sur face;

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse, medial, cross sectional view taken substantially along line 22 of Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the wall shelf dismounted from the wall.

With continued reference to the drawings, there is shown a portion of a vertical support surface, such as a Wall having a fastener, in the form of a nail 12, projecting upwardly and outwardly therefrom.

The illustrated wall shelf or rack, generally indicated at 14 comprises a horizontal base plate or shelf 16 having parallel outer and inner ends 18 and 20, and outwardly convergent sides 22.

The base plate 16 is provided with a vertical hole 24 extending therethrough close to and spaced from the inner end 20 and located midway between the sides of the base plate. A vertical post 26 has its lower portion engaged through the hole 24 with a tight friction fit, and if desired, a fastener, such as a nail 28, can be driven through the inner end 20 of the base plate 16 and through the post 26 to secure the post in place on the shelf or base plate 16, with the major portion of the post 26 rising above the base plate 16.

The inner side of the upper portion 36 of the post 26 above the base plate or shelf 16 has therein an inwardly declining socket 38, in which is secured the elevated outer end of an inwardly declining prop 32 having a depressed inner end 36. The inner end 36 is angled relative to the length of the prop 32 to have flush vertical engagement with the wall surface 10 along with the inner end 20 of the base plate 16, so as to hold the base plate in a horizontal position at right angles to the wall surface 10. The prop 32 has an axial bore United Sttes Patent on g l Patented 'July s, 1958 34opening through the depressed end'36 to receive the nail 12 projecting from the wall surface, andmount the device on the wall."

As clearly shown in FigureZ, the fastener or nail 12 is tightly but rernovably received 'within 'the'bore 34 of the prop 32 so'thatthewallshelf 1'4 is removably mounted on thewall 10 and maintained in ,a secure position from which" it willnot'slip.

Vertically spaced transverse upper and lower cross bars 40 and 42 traverse the upper portion 30 of the post 26 for supporting articles in addition to articles placed upon the shelf 16.

While there is shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the structure is susceptible to change and modification within the practicability of the invention and is limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a wall, a horizontal shelf having an inner end bearing freely against the wall, and opposite sides, a post fixed to and rising from said shelf close to and spaced outwardly from said inner end, said post having an inner side, a prop having an outer end secured to the post, said prop extending inwardly beyond the inner 'side of the post and having an inner end vertically aligned with said inner end of the shelf and bearing freely against the wall, said prop having a bore opening through its inner end and said Wall having fixed thereon a nail projecting from the wall and supportably engaged in said bore.

2. In combination, a wall, a horizontal shelf having an inner end bearing freely against the wall, and opposite sides, a post fixed to and rising from said shelf close to and spaced outwardly from said inner end, said post having an inner side, a prop having an outer end secured to the post, said prop extending inwardly beyond the inner side of the post and having an inner end vertically aligned with said inner end of the shelf and bearing freely against the wall, said prop having a bore opening through its inner end and said wall having fixed thereon a nail projecting from the wall and supportably engaged in said bore, said prop being inwardly declined relative to the post and said bore being axial in the prop, and the inner end of the prop being angled relative to the length of the prop for flush vertical engagement with the wall.

3. In combination, a wall, a horizontal shelf having an inner end bearing freely against the wall, and opposite sides, a post fixed to and rising from said shelf close to and spaced outwardly from said inner end, said post having an inner side, a prop having an outer end secured to the post, said prop extending inwardly beyond the inner side of the post and having an inner end vertically aligned with said inner end of the shelf and bearing freely against the wall, said prop having a bore opening through its inner end and said wall having fixed thereon a nail projecting from the wall and supportably engaged in said bore, said shelf being provided with a vertical hole therethrough at a point midway between the Sides of the shelf and close to and spaced from said inner end of the shelf, and said post having a lower portion engaged through said frictionally fitting hole.

4. In combination, a wall rack, a horizontal shelf having an inner end bearing freely against the wall, and opposite sides, a post fixed to and rising from said shelf close to and spaced outwardly from said inner end, said post having an inner side, a prop having an outer end secured to the post, ner side of the post and having an inner end vertically aligned with said inner end of the shelf and bearing freely against the wall, said prop having a bore opening through its inner end and said wall having fixed thereon a nail projecting from the wall and supportably engaged said prop extending inwardly beyond the in-- in said bore, said prop being inwardly declined relative 676,619 Faethe June 18, 1901 to the post and said bore being axial in the prop, and 793,828 Dunn July 4, 1905 the inner end of the prop being angled relative to the 913,955 Hansen Mar. 2, 1909 length of the prop for flush vertical engagement with the 1,149,141 Hook Aug. 3, 1915 well, said inner side of the post being provided with an 5 1,163,132 Ette Dec. 7, 1915 inwardly decliningsocket and said outer end of the prop 1,521,592 Belke Jan. 6, 1925 being securably engaged in said socket. H 2,326,864 Keeshen Aug. 17, 1943 p r 2,428,454 Fowler Oct. 7, 1947 References Cited in the file of this patent 2,655,330 Mar in O 13, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENTS FOREIGN PATENTS D. 138,992 Daum Oct. 3, 1944 102,232 Sweden Aug. 5, 1941 

